Chrysanthemum plant named Dark Oreo

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Dark Oreo particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; daisy capitulum type; red-purple ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of up to 85 mm at maturity; uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; peduncle length ranging from 10 to 15 cm on open, terminal sprays; short plant height when grown as a single stem spray cut mum; and excellent tolerance to low temperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Dark Oreo.

Dark Oreo, identified as 83-486G03, is a product of a mutation inductionprogram which had the objective of creating new Chrysanthemum cultivarsthat would expand the color range of an existing cultivar whileretaining all other traits.

Dark Oreo was discovered and selected by Cornelis P. VandenBerg on Dec.18, 1985 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif. as one floweringplant within a flowering block established as rooted cuttings from stockplants which had been exposed as unrooted cuttings to an X-ray source of2000 rads. The irradiated parent was a mutation, which was deliveredfrom an earlier irradiation of the cultivar identified as Oreo,disclosed in plant patent application Ser. No. 07/173,083, now U.S.Plant Pat. No. 6,882.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Dark Oreo was accomplished whenvegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in March 1986in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., by technicians workingunder formulations estabilshed and supervised by Cornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Dark Oreo are firmly fixed and are retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Dark Oreo has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial greenhouse practice. The lowtemperature tolerance of the new variety as noted below was determinedin repeated flowerings in Bogota, Colombia.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Dark Oreo, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Daisy capitulum type.

3. Red-purple ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of up to 85 mm.

5. Uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days.

6. Peduncle length ranging from 10 to 15 cm on open, terminal sprays.

7. Short plant height, requiring two to three long day weeks prior toshort days to attain a flowered plant height of 90 to 100 cm foryear-round flowerings.

8. Excellent tolerance to low temperature for bud initiation and flowerdevelopment.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Dark Oreo, with the colors being as nearly trueas possible with illustrations of this type. The color photograph is aperspective view of Dark Oreo grown as a single stem cut spray mum.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Dark Oreo are the parent cultivar Oreo. All traits of DarkOreo and the induced mutation White Oreo, created through the samemutation induction program as Dark Oreo, and disclosed in applicant'spending application Ser. No. 07/436,821, filed simultaneously with thepresent application are similar to those of Oreo, except the color ofthe ray florets. The ray floret color of Dark Oreo is red-purple,compared with the light purple ray florets of Oreo. The cultivar WhiteOreo has white ray florets and greater vigor than both Dark Oreo and theparent cultivar Oreo.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a single stem cut spray mum in Salinas, Calif.on July 18, 1989.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Dark Oreo.

Commercial.--Daisy cut spray mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Daisy.

Diameter across face.--Up to 85 mm at maturity.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Red-purple.

Color (upper surface).--70B.

Color (under surface).--Closest to 75D, slightly tinged with 70B.

Shape.--Flat, oblong.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--Closest to 14A.

Color (immature).--Closest to 144B.

D. Reproductive organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; moderate pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--Short; 90 to 100 cm as a single stem cut mum with two to threelong day weeks prior to short days.

B. Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Deeply lobed and serrated.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Dark Oreo, as described and illustrated. 